


Death Wears Silver (FFXV - James Bond AU)

by yallneedtrashjesus



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 04:01:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13356069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yallneedtrashjesus/pseuds/yallneedtrashjesus
Summary: After Regis Lucis Caelum dies suddenly under suspicious circumstances, his brother-in-law Ardyn Izunia becomes owner and CEO of Lucis Inc., booting Noct from the Board and barring him from inheriting the company. Noct and Gladio vow to do whatever it takes to discover the truth behind Regis' death, even if it means going head to head with Noct's uncle. Noct soon receives an invitation from Ignis "The Rook" Scientia, one of the most powerful men in Eos. Needing help, Noct decides to meet with the man, someone even Cor Leonis, his father's bodyguard feared.





	Death Wears Silver (FFXV - James Bond AU)

**Author's Note:**

> **Characters/ Backstory:**
> 
> **Regis Lucis Caelum:** Former owner / CEO of Lucis Inc., a multibillion-dollar company that patents and manufacturers phase technology. The business has been run by the Lucis family for over ten generations, having been a weapons manufacturing firm before. At the age of 50, Regis passes away suddenly. The official medical report says that he had a heart attack, and while his health was declining due to the nature of his work (something kept secret outside of his most trusted employees and family), more than a few whispers have sprung up that his death should be investigated.
> 
> **Noctis Lucis Caelum:** A 20-year-old playboy who tries to stay out of the limelight but is hounded by the media regardless. He’s known for street racing expensive cars with best friend Prompto Argentum, whose mysterious background makes him an equal target for the media. Because Noctis has never wanted anything to do with his father’s company other than his trust fund, he’s outed from the Company Board by Operating Officer Ardyn Izunia when his father dies. Noctis has never liked nor trusted Izunia, finding the man smarmy. Upon the death of his father, he suspects Izunia—and suspects the man might come after him as well. He decides he will do whatever it takes to discover the truth and dole out punishment.
> 
> **Ardyn Izunia:** Present owner and CEO of Lucis Inc. after political maneuvering stopped Noctis from inheriting the company upon his late brother-in-law’s death. He secretly blames Noctis for his sister’s death, as she died giving birth to him. Mr. Izunia is a lavish man who dons outrageously expensive outfits, his favorite being silver and black suits. He rose in the company over a number of years and was once trusted advisor to Regis Lucis Caelum. He’s managed to skirt several sexual misconduct allegations, as well as several allegations of fraud and tax evasion. Few people like or trust him, yet he always seems to get exactly what he wants. Currently, he’s seeking trade deals with Niflheim; he’s known to have properties and connections there. Despite company shareholders wanting nothing to do with the war between Niflheim and Tenebrae-Altissia, it’s feared that Izunia’s aims will come to pass.
> 
> **Gladiolus Amicitia:** Noctis’ bodyguard. He suspects new CEO Izunia had a hand in Regis’ sudden demise and has made it his goal to clear Cor Leonis’ good name as Cor was Regis’ bodyguard. He and Noctis are united in their desire to discover the truth about Regis’ passing.
> 
> **Ignis Scientia:** At the age of 22, Ignis is already considered one of the most powerful men in Eos by many due to his shrewd political mind. Ignis’ “official” line of work is risk assessment and avoidance for corporations. His interests, however, are global. Although he considers himself a force for good, his methods are not always ethical or legal. Corporations with secrets to hide often find them invariably leaked or destroyed after dealings with Mr. Scientia, dubbed “The Rook” in more than a few circles. Ardyn Izunia is of growing interest and concern to him, as is Lucis Inc. After the death of Regis Lucis Caelum, Ignis sends a personal invitation to Noctis.
> 
> **Aranea Highwind:** A trained assassin, Aranea works for the highest bidder.
> 
> **Cindy Aurum:** Once a mechanic at her grandfather’s garage, Cindy has turned to using her feminine wiles and wit to working for Ignis Scientia. While her official title is that of personal assistant, she is far more than meets the eye.

 Noct is nearly asleep on the couch when he’s slapped on the face with what feels like an envelope. He starts, and upon opening his eyes finds his tattooed bodyguard standing over him, smirking.

“This came for you.” Gladio holds the envelope over Noct’s face.

Noct snatches it and inspects it. It’s unmarked save for his full name on the front, written in an elegant script. He looks at Gladio. “How do I know it’s not full of anthrax?”

“Because your mail is screened, Noct. You think after your dad’s ‘heart attack’ people aren’t watching out for you? No one likes Izunia, you know. They’d rather you got your shit together and ran the company.”

 _Tough chance of that._ Still, it’d be nice to send his greaseball uncle packing, preferably to Niflheim.

Noct tears the envelope open. Inside is a neatly folded letter on actual parchment—not binder paper, not ordinary stationary, but thick, mottled paper. He unfolds it and finds it’s also handwritten. The message is short:

> _Dear Noctis,_
> 
> _My sincerest condolences about your father. Regis Lucis Caelum was an honest and dutiful man. I had the pleasure of meeting him just once, but his character impressed me, and that is difficult to do these days._
> 
> _I am sure you do not know me, but I should like to remedy that. If you should like that, too, please text this number: 6820. I hope that you might count me among your friends soon._

Instead of a name or a signature, there’s a stamp. A stamp of that little tower piece used in chess. _What the hell?_

Noct peers into the envelope, looks at the letter again to see if he’s missed something. “What the fuck,” he mutters, sitting up.

“What is it?” Gladio’s shoulders tense, his hands become fists.

Noct hands him the letter.

Gladio’s eyes scan each line; his brows furrow. When he’s done, he looks at Noct. “Do you know who this is from?”

“No. Do you?”

Gladio sits down next to Noct. “Cor told me he and your father had met with someone once—someone called ‘The Rook.’” He points at the stamp on the letter. “Also told me never to mention him again.”

“Why? Who is he?”

“Cor wouldn’t say much about him. Just that he was young…our age, probably. Gave him the creeps, he said. Something about his eyes.”

“Why would my dad meet with him? What does he do?”

“Think he’s some corporate analyst or something. The best, apparently.”

“So why is he creepy?”

Gladio shrugs. “Do you want to find out?”

Noct raises a brow. “You think meeting him is a good idea?”

“The guy’s right: you need friends. Your uncle’s powerful. Maybe this ‘Rook’ can help us.”

“If you say so.” Noct grabs his phone from the coffee table and enters the number into a new message. His thumb hovers over “send.”

_What if the guy’s connected to Uncle Ardyn? What if THIS is Ardyn? No…that doesn’t make sense. Just do it. You can’t hide from him forever._

Noct pushes send and sets his phone back on the table. He stares at it until the screen goes black. Keeps staring.

A message pops up. He snatches his phone and unlocks it.

 _A car will be waiting in the garage at 8:00PM tonight. You may bring your bodyguard_.

He’s about to text back _Don’t you need the gate code?_ but realizes that if the man knows where he lives and can get a letter to him, he can probably hack a gate—even a secure gate in Noct’s apartment complex.

“8:00,” Noct tells Gladio. “Apparently a car will be in the garage for both of us.”

Gladio smirks. “This is going to be an interesting night.”

 

**+++**

 

“Quit looking at your phone like a lunatic,” Gladio chides as the elevator descends.

“But we’re late. What if the car left?”

“We’re _fashionably_ late. Did you want to be standing down there waiting like a dweeb, like you’ve got nothing better to do?”

“….No.” Noct slips his phone into his back pocket. “Nervous?”

“Nah.”

The doors slide open to reveal a sleek silver stretch with tinted windows parked sidelong before them, its headlights off.

Gladio steps forward, and when nothing happens, he motions for Noct to follow. Gladio opens the passenger door and guides Noct into the car in front of him, immediately scooting in behind him so as not to be left behind.

The blonde woman seated opposite smiles toothlessly. “My, aren’t ya’ll a nervous bunch.”

Noct didn’t notice her at first, but looking at her now, he can’t fathom how he didn’t.

A tight black and yellow dress hugs every inch of her fit frame, leaving nothing to the imagination despite a modest neckline and length. Her hair curls and falls past her shoulders, and loose strands frame one bright green eye. Her other eye is covered by a black patch. She’s beautiful, but Noct gets the feeling it’s a facade.

“And who might you be?” Gladio asks as the car begins moving.

Her red lips part slightly. “Cindy Aurum. But y’all can call me Ms. Aurum.”

_An accent like that in Insomnia? Wonder where she’s from._

Gladio waves a hand. “Well, Ms. Aurum, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I assume you know who we are.”

She nods. “Sorry ‘bout your father,” she says, looking at Noct. “He was a nice man.”

“You met him?” Noct asks.

“Just once, quite a few years ago. But I don’t forget someone who treats me with kindness. And neither does the man you’re going to meet.”

“Can you tell us what this is all about?”

“I could, Mr. Caelum, but it’ll be better to hear it from my boss. But just so ya know, he doesn’t often send for people—usually it’s the other way around.”

“Will you tell us where we’re going, at least?” Gladio asks.

“Oh, you two ain’t no fun. Ain’t I interestin’ enough company?”

Noct rubs the back of his head, a flush creeping up his neck.

“I’m only teasin’, honey,” says Ms. Aurum. “But it ain’t too far. Oh—before I forget, boss wanted me to give you these.”

She pushes on a hidden panel in the door to retrieve a small black box. It opens like a ring box to reveal two bracelets made from an opaque black material. She picks them up with her fingers and holds them out to each of them in turn.

Noct holds his in his palm. “What are they for?”

“They’re scramblers,” she explains. “Keeps any nosey folks from listenin’ or lookin’ in on your conversations. They also let my boss’ people know you’re trusted.”

_Apparently, trust is rare these days. Guess it isn’t just me who’s paranoid._

Noct looks out the window, expecting to see something familiar, but he’s surprised to find that the glass is tinted on the inside as well.

 _I’ve never liked surprises._ His father had tried to throw him a surprise party once, but he had so few friends at the time that it ended up being mostly people from the company, and his uncle. His uncle….

“Are we in any danger?” Gladio asks as he slides the bracelet onto his wrist.

“Not from me or my boss,” Ms. Aurum replies. But it’s what she doesn’t say that makes Noct think of his uncle again.

Noct finds himself staring at Cindy’s eye patch. He’s never seen a woman with one. Actually, has he ever seen anyone with one outside a hospital?

Ms. Aurum catches his gaze and smiles. “It’s an interestin’ story, I assure you. Maybe someday I’ll tell you how it happened.”

“Sorry,” Noct mumbles. “I didn’t mean to stare.”

“Don’t worry yourself—I’m used to it.”

Gladio clears his throat.

The next few minutes pass in silence with Noct staring out into the darkness. Ms. Aurum pulls her phone from her bag and texts someone.

It isn’t long before the car begins to descend, as if into an underground garage.

Ms. Aurum slides the phone back into her bag and leans back, crossing her arms at the wrists and placing them on her lap.

They descend lower, in a spiral fashion. When the car finally comes to a stop, Ms. Aurum opens the door and leads the way out.

“Right this way, gentlemen.”

It’s definitely a parking structure with multiple rows of marked spaces, but there aren’t the usual lights. And there aren’t any other cars. Before them is an elevator—if Noct can call it an elevator. It looks more like an industrial steel vault and it’s the only thing set in the concrete wall. There doesn’t appear to be a way in, either; all four sides meet the concrete seamlessly and the side facing them is unmarred.

Yet Ms. Aurum walks confidently forward, the click of her tall heels echoing through the cavernous space.

As she approaches, an invisible seam opens in the steel vault, revealing two sliding doors.

Noct can’t help but feel impressed. _Must be something she’s carrying. Retina screening?_

He and Gladio enter the elevator, and Noct notices that the doors are at least a foot thick in diameter. Definitely bulletproof, maybe even rocketproof. Whatever “The Rook” does for a living, it’s more involved than analysis.

“Ready?” Ms. Aurum asks.

Noct nods.

She presses her right thumb next to the right elevator door, and a green light appears to glow in the steel. They begin to ascend, noiselessly and so smoothly that he can barely tell they’re moving.

In less than a minute, the doors slide open.

“Gentlemen, meet Mr. Scientia.”


End file.
